Gun



3 Sheets-SheetI l GUN J. LEMBERG Filed Dec. l1., 1942 Nov. Z8, 1944.

Nov. 2s, 1944.' EMBERG 2,363,878

GUN

Filed Dec. 11, 1942 3 sheets-sheet 2 m Y N v 1 Y t Nov. 28, 1944. J. LEMBERG 2,363,878

, GUN

Filed Dec. 11, 1942 s sheets-sheet s /f/l a@ u IN V EN TOR.

Patented Nov. 28, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUN Joseph Lemberg, New York, N. Y.

Application December 11, 1942, Serial No. 468,693

7 Claims.

This invention aims to provide a piece of ordnance including novel means whereby a plurality of gun barrels may be raised and lowered bodily, swung in a vertical plane and rotated about a vertical axis, novel means being supplied for holdingr the barrels in adjusted positions and for firing the barrels at the will of an operator. A further object of the invention is to supply a piece of ordnance so constructed that rapid discharge may be effected in a plurality of directions at the will of an operator.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhancethe utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in'the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation, circuits being in diagram;

Fig. 3 is a top plan; l

Fig. 4 is a transverse section showing most of the raising and lowering mechanism in top plan;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevation disclosing one of the adjustable props;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation showing a modification.

The piece of ordnance forming the subject matter of this application includes an elongated base I, which may be carried on wheels 2. Longitudinal tracks 3, such as channels, are secured to the base I, and haveupturned ends 4. An inverted, U-shaped, upstanding keeper 5 is secured to the base, near the rear end thereof.

The numeral 6 designates a transverse axle, disposed above the base l and 'carrying wheels 'I adapted to roll along the tracks 3 of the base. The numeral 8 marks a hollow guide, including a tubular body 9 having at its upper end, an outstanding ange 2I, whereunto an annular top I0 is attached by means of securing elements Il. The lower end of the body 9 of the guide 8 is received in a recess I2, formed in the axle 6, and the axle has a transverse opening I4, located at the bottom of the recess I2. Securing elements I5 pass through the bottom of the body 9 ofthe guide 8, and hold the guide in the recess I2.

The opening I4 of the axle 6 receives the horizontally enlarged forward end I6 of a rearwardly extended arm I1, one or more of the securing elements I5 passing through the said end of the arm, to hold the arm assembled with the axle 6. The rear end of the arm I'I is received in the guide 5 on the base I. Intermediate its ends, the arm I'I is supplied with a depending bracket I8, whereon wheels I9 are mounted to turn, the wheels being adapted to roll along the base I. A retractile spring connection is extended rearwardly from the bracket I8 of the arm I'I and is anchored at its rear end upon the base I. The spring 29 should be of considerable strength.

Referring especially to Fig. 7, a hollow plunger 22 is mounted for right line' reciprocation and for rotation in the top I0 of the guidey. A circumscribing shoulder 23, preferably a ball race, is secured at 3| to the lower portion of the plunger 22,` and carries anti-friction balls 24, adapted to roll in contact with the inner surface of the body 9 of the guide 8.

The upper wall 25 of the plunger 22 has an outstanding rim 26, the upper wall carrying transversely spaced upper ears 21, between which is`disposed a depending ear 28 on an elongated bed 29, having a recess 32 in its upper surface. A pivot member connects the ears 21 with the ear 28. Hangers 33 are secured at A34 to the rear end of the bed 29 and support a step 35. A retractile spring connection 36 is disposed to the rear of the guide 8 and has its upper end secured at 31 to the bed 29, the lower end of the spring being secured `at 38 to the arm I'I, in advance of the wheel I9.

A bearing 40 is secured to the forward portion of the bed 29, and in thebearing, a depending socket 39 of tubular form is mounted for rotation. The socket 39 is provided with oppositely disposed, vertically elongated slots 4I 'Ihe numeral 43 designates a castor wheel, adapted to cooperate with the base I, and journaled on a shank 44, mounted for vertical reciprocation in the socket 39, the shank having laterally projecting guide pins 42, received slidably in the slots 4I ofh A compression spring 45 is dis' the socket 39. posed within the socket 39 and is interposed between the upper wall of the socket and the upper end of the shank 44, which is slidably mounted.

An elongated handle 46 is secured at 41 to one edge of the bed 29, and extends backwardly, as far as desired.

Angle brackets 48 are secured to the axle 6. The numeral 49 marks a transverse support, provided with a circular opening 59 in which the plunger 22 is mounted for rotation. In its upper surface,.the support 49 is supplied with an annular seat I, receiving an anti-friction bearing 52, upon which the rim 29 of the plunger 22 rests.

A raising and lowering. means for the plunger. 22 is provided, and includes screws 53, right and left hand threaded into the support 49 and into the brackets 48 which are secured to the axle 6'.. The screws 53 .may be manipulated by hand.

wheels 54 on their upper ends, or in any other appropriate way.

Longitudinally extensible Aprops 55 areY sulD.- y plied, each prop including an vupper memberii';

mounted to swing from front to back. Aon the securing element 41 for the handle 46 that is at theV rear' ofE thefbedfZU, andi on another securing elernent'fwhich` willi-be referred to hereinafter. The upperl mernberst of 'lthe props'l 45 havek elongatedi slot/S1351, as ilig.I `Y6 shows..

Each prop comprises 'a-lower member having; lugsv 5'9'1receivedf slidablyi in the slotf. 5.1i of theA .l corresponding upper fmember'jf'f. =A' .holding'.-'device'..is'ssupplied,v .for retaining'each propr 155i atia .predetermined length... Thezholding; device may.' bei; a( headedk boltfziiL carried byfthe lower; membem58izand providedzwith .au lever vnut: Gil

.Arjacketz zisimounted inxthe recess 132.' of fthe bedbzSf `and r mayzbe; constructed r iur-.any .desired Way towbring aboutxalfcoolingx ofthe .barrelsI here;- inafterzs-mentioned': ,lfazwateriA isi used in donned-- tion with. thezj acket 52.; easindicatedf at i E3, :the

jacket willwhavefthenusual water 1 connections:r 64; The: j acketiis heldl on lthefbed 129 inA anyY selected way, for. :instanoerby'meansxoff straps 65, ,fastened tothevbedbysecurin'g:elementsl. l

.Theacketi 62 is fdisposed aboutI a central bare rel S1, and aboutother barrelsr, arranged around thefbarrel 61: 811.preferably` isfgreaterthan` thebore of. the barrels 643.Y The-breechfblock. for the barrel 6.1, is-

designated: by. .the numeral.. 69, y and. the :breech blocks for the barrelsfare'- indicated at 10a The. jacket 62 :isiprov-ided on a itsupper, surface with ha. collarv -1 If, in. .which isAl located. .a 5 bearing.

cupf12. The lowerendf of. a' posty131 is received forY rotationI in.V the bearing 1.2,.-the post having arearw-ardlyprojecting-:handle 14.. The post-13': ismounted to '.turrr onashaft 15; carried by-=the jacketSZ. Avnut :15.is-threaded ontheupper'end.

of` the shaftl-and.engages thefupper portionzof. therpostA 13., within azrecesseJ-lawhich is. formed in. the post.. i The .upper end of the. post ,13. car.- riesa..standard.{1.8,...on -whichl a. telescope. 19 is mounted. At itsupper end, .the Ipost..13..is `sup-- plied with a forwardly presented oifsetll..V

Auxiliary barrels 8.3` are disposedv on =opposite sides .of the post..13, the .breechblocks of .the harrelsbeing.markedbythe ,numeral .8l Each bar.-

rel83hasadepending handle 82.. The. trilnnions` 84 of. the. barrels .83, are `mountedI .to .r.ock,.in dividually,. aboutfa. substantial-1lyf horizontal. axis, intheoffset 80..of. the.post..13. l .A switch. S. isprovidedandmay belocated a any.` desireddistance from. the, mechanism here.- inbefore, described. The, Switchs. includes a.. dial 85, carrying. a .ci-rele. of. contact, points .:86,..adapted tolbe engaged one after another by- -a.switch.arm.

Thewbovre offy f the= barrel;

` ductor 95 to the ring mechanismoi" the breech .block 69 of the barrel 61.

Owing to the simple nature of .the diagrami l matic portionof Fig. 2, an extended description 8.1, .mounted,toxswingoover :the surface,.fof. the

diall..

A. conductor. 88. .is connected.-l electrically` with of the ring operation is not necessary.

scribedare` designated bys numerals already" used;. i

with thezsuix a.'

Instead-,of having. ay switcht including: af re motediaLsuch as ythe dialf85fofrFig.2, there are" contacts 9.6.on the breech blocks 69a, ,and-the jacket Blacarriesa, contact 9:1. for. they central` 30; breech `block 69a. rThecontact91.isconnected.

. to engage the contacts 91 and 96.oneat atime.

'I'othe switcharm SSL-is; .connected electrically, aconductor |09,- Awhich is grounded asshowniat. IM., fasource. 102 ofv electrioalenergy being-v inf terposed inthe conductor-l90.v .The groundfor. the firing f mechanism. of. the breech .blocks I is designatedby the numeral |03.

When the switch. arm. 99. ison th'ef Contact.V 9] there willl Aloe established. a. circuit including.,. theground ll`,.the source .of energyflZ,V the con.-

' ductor it), the switch arm 99, the firing mecha-- nism of the breech. block..1ila...and. thegroundl Q03, the.. central barrel,.correspondingto thebarrel`..`61 of Fig. lbei'ng red. In.a.similar.manner,. when the switch arm is on one .oi'thecontacts- 9,9, the corresponding barrel ofjFig. .1.willbe fired, the ground |93 being common to the. ring mechanisms of the several breechblocksiSlBa.

The firing. mechanisms of Vthe'breech'L blocks 8la which. are. individual to the. barrels` of. Fig. .1',are grounded' at one. side, as. shownatl 0B. When theswitcharmgis ona contact! l`04',one of the auxiliary barrels B301 Fig. l willbe 'fired and.when the switch arm. is on thefother contact |415',,.thecorresponding` auxiliary barrel willi, be fired. It is believed that it is unnecessaryy to. traceout the simple circuitsinvolved.

Any suitable ,k recoil check may .be used the present invention makingno contribution to that art. When the recoil mechanism producesa forward or return movement. (as is common), that' movement is cushioned byV the springlll;

Since. the arm I1 is received'in the keeper., the

From each of the con- Y It will i be' observedthat the'operator has under his conbarrels B8 and 61, may be swung downwardly at their forward ends, and if the props 55 are adjusted to a shorter length than that shown in Fig. l, the barrels ,68 etc., along with the bed, may be swung upwardly. The point of swinging movement of the bed 29 and associated parts, vertically, is the pivot member 30 of Fig. 7, the up and down swinging movement being brought about through the instrumentality of the handle 4B. The piece is heavier ahead of the pivot element 30 than it is behind -the pivot element, and the vspring 3E aids in securing a counterpoise. Upon recoil, the structure moves rearwardly, the wheel 43 rolling on the base I, and the wheels I9 rolling on the base. The wheels 1 roll on the tracks 3.

`In order to raise and lower the bed 29 and parts carried by it, bodily, the screws 53 are rotated by means ofthe hand wheels 54, the threading at 53 cooperating in an, obvious way with the brackets 48 and with the support 49. The plunger 22 moves upwardly and downwardly without binding, owing to the contact between the ball bearings 24 and the body 9 of the guide 8. Upward movement of the bed 29 and associated parts is limited when the race 23 on the plunger 22 comes into contact with the top I0 of the guide 8.

The bed 29 and associated parts may be swung in azimuth by means of the handle 46, the antifriction bearings 24 and 52 facilitating such an operation.

Through the instrumentality of the handle 14, the post 'I3 may be rotated about a substantially vertical axis, the barrels 33 moving in azimuth. The handles 82 constitute means whereby vertical swinging movement may be imparted to the barrels 33, individually.

nisms assembled with said members and with adjust the support, the plunger, the bed and the The springs 36 andt of Fig. 1 constitute draw connections. The bed 29 and the jacket 62 form a carrier for the auxiliary barrels83 and attendant parts.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. In a piece of ordnance, a base, a guide supported by the base for movement longitudinally thereof, a plunger mounted on the guide for raising and lowering and for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for raising and lowering the guide, a bed disposed above the plunger, a barrel carried by the bed, means for mounting the bed on the plunger for vertical swinging movement, a rearwardly extended arm fixed with respect to the guide, a keeper on the base and receiving the arm slidably, an upright retractile connection joined to the arm and to the bed and disposed to the rear of the means for mounting the bed on the plunger, a retractile connection extended longitudinally of the arm and having its forward end connected to the arm, its rear end being connected to the bed, means under the control of an operator for rotating the plunger to swing the bed laterally, and for swinging the bed vertically.

2. In' a piece of ordnance, a base, a guide supported by the base for movement longitudinally thereof, a plunger mounted on the guide for raising and lowering and for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, a bed disposed above the plunger, a barrel carried by the bed, means for mounting the bed on the plunger for verrtical swinging movement, a transverse support wherein the plunger is rotatable, members iixed with respect to the guide and located on opposite sides of the guide, raising and lowering mechabarrel vertically, a longitudinally extensible prop disposed to the rear of the means for mounting the bed on the plunger and extended between the base and the bed, means under the control of an operator for rotating the plunger to swing the bed and the barrel laterally, and for swinging the bed and barrel vertically.

3. In a piece of ordnance, a base, a guide supported by the base for movement longitudinally thereof, a plunger mounted on the guide for raising and lowering and for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, a bed disposed above the plunger, a barrel carried by the bed, means .for mounting therbed on the plunger for vertical swinging movement, a transverse support wherein the plunger is rotatable, members fixed with respect to the guide and located on opposite sides to the guide, raising and lowering mechanisms assembled with said members and with the terminal portions of the support, thereby to adjust the support, the plunger, the bed and the barrel vertically, a longitudinally extensible prop disposed to the rear of the means for mounting the bed on the plunger and extended between the base and the bed, a rearwardly extended arm fixed with respect to the guide, a keeper on the base and receiving the arm slidably, an upright retractile connection joined to the arm and to the bed and disposed to the rear of the means for mounting the bed on the plunger, a retractile connection extended longitudinally of the arm and having its forward end connected to the arm, its rear end being connected to the bed, means under the control of an operator for rotating the plunger to swing the bed and the barrel laterally, and for swinging the bed and the barrel vertically.

4. In a piece of ordnance, a base, tracks on the base, an axle, wheels carried by the axle and movable along the tracks, an upright guide secured to the axle, a plunger mounted on the guide for vertical adjustment and for rotation, means for raising and lowering the plunger, a bed, a barrel carried by the bed, means for mounting the bed on the plunger for vertical swinging movement, a wheel frame disposed ahead of the guide including a shank, means for mounting the bed for up and down movement on the shank, means for yieldably resisting the downward movement of the bed with respect to the shank, a wheel carried by the frame and engaging the base, and a longitudinally extensible prop located to the rear of the guide and extended between the bed and the base.

5. In a piece of ordnance, a tubular guide, means for mounting the guide in a substantially vertical position, a support disposed above the guide, a top member on the guide, an inwardly projecting, annular flange on the top member, a plunger mounted to move vertically in the flange, and to rotate in the flange and in the support, the plunger being provided near its upper end with an outstanding rim which overlaps thesupport, an anti-friction bearing between the rim and the support, an outstanding race member secured about the plunger near the lower end thereof, an anti-friction bearing carried by the race member and engaging the inner surface of the guide, the race member being engageableY with the flange, to limit the upward movement of the plunger, means engaged with the support for raising and lowering the plunger, a barrel, and

meansfor mounting the barrel movably. on the;

plunger- In a piece of ordnance, .a tubulargude,

means for mountingrthe guide in a:,substantiallyvv vertical `position, afsupport-` disposed above the guide@v top member on'the guide, aninvvardly projecting, annular flange on the top memben,

asplunger.l mounted toI move yvertically in. the flange, and to rotate in: the flange and iny the support, the plunger being providednear its 11p-- per end: with anA outstanding rimxwhicli overlaps the support, an anti-friction bearingv be.-

tween the rim and the, support,.an,outstanding` race member seouredabout thefplunger near .the lowerv endtthereonan antirfriction bearing carriedby therace member. andengagingthe inner surfaceuof the guidethe race memberbeing engageable With the flange,4 to limit the` upward guide;,.and.raisingf and lowering screws rightandleftliand:threaded'` intos the xeld, members andl into the Yterminal portions of the supp rt -7.,-:In a. .piece'of` ordnance, a guide, a plungermounted1 to;movevertical1y on the guide and toA rotatev with respect thereto, mechanism under thezcontrol'of an* operator for moving the plunger vertieally a1 carrier rpivoted to thevplunger for vertical swinging movement, means under the control of `an operator for imparting vertical swinging movement-,to theA carrier, and for rotating the plunger, a: substantially vertical shaft. onthecarrien-apost. mounted to rotate on the shaft;1about the-Vertical: axis thereof, barrels disposed on oppositefsides of the'post and having substantially horizontal trunnions mounted to rock in the post, whereby` the barrels maylbe swung-vertically, one at a time, a, substantially vertical handleV on each barrel, and a substan- 20- tially horizontal handle; on the post.

JOSEPH LEMBERG. 

